While this vase is probably more attractive to your granny than you, would she understand just how much technology was used in its creation? Custom 3D-printer guys Shapeways made it from glass, which is no small feat for 3D printing.

Writing on their blog, they described one of the challenges they faced with the design:

"When designing hollow parts accommodations must be made to allow the support powder to completely fill all empty spaces. The support powder acts as a mold during firing. The glass becomes like soft toffee during firing and without support it will move in unexpected (usually disastrous) ways."

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3D printing is obviously well-suited to churning out bulk designs, but at the moment it's still at a premium, with most designs being custom-ordered. I wonder how much this vase will sell for in years to come? [Shapeways via Boing Boing]